How To Clean Painted Walls

I vividly remember the first few weeks in the home we'd recently moved into, freshly painted with Benjamin Moore's iconic color, White Dove (which, as you might imagine, is a beautiful shade of white paint). I wandered the rooms, breathing in the fresh paint, the spotless glass, the tidy floors.

That lasted about four and a half minutes.

Presently, my then-one-year-old son toddled into the room and proceeded to smear his sticky hands all over the walls of our den. It's been an uphill battle ever since.

Keeping painted walls (of any color) clean is a near-Herculean task, especially if you live in a high-traffic environment for children and pets. But with the right products, the right information, and some elbow grease, you, too, can return to that freshly painted feeling!

What To Know Before You Begin

Cleaning your walls may feel like a chore, but it's a pretty simple undertaking. The most important thing to factor in here is to avoid the use abrasives of any kind. If you've done this, you'll know: using things like a Magic Eraser to take stains off the walls often leads to stain and paint removal, leaving you with an obvious and garish spot on your walls that wasn't there before. Take good care not to use abrasive sponges, products, or texturized cloths as you move through this process.

How To Clean Painted Walls

What You'll Need

• Vacuum or duster
• 1 bucket of warm water
• 1 empty bucket
• Liquid dish soap
• Soft, clean cloths
• Clean towels
  

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Take care to completely remove any dirt, dust bunnies, or particulate from your walls. You're about to lightly soak them in soapy water, so ensure that you aren't just pushing old dust around by using your vacuum, Swiffer, or other duster to take care of the first layer. Removing this up front will save you a lot of trouble in the end.
2. Create your cleaning solution. Mix a few drops of dish soap (Dawn is always a safe option) into your bucket of warm water until you have a lightly sudsy solution.
3. Using a clean cloth, dip into the bucket and start gently cleaning your walls by making circular motions.
4. Wring your cloth out over your empty bucket, allowing your clean water to stay clean. Repeat by dipping back into your original soapy bucket and continuing to lightly scrub in circular, consistent motions. Tackle the whole wall with this approach, making sure to be thorough and apply even pressure throughout the cleaning process.
5. After you're finished, dry the walls completely with your clean towels, being careful to avoid water streaks or soggy spots left untended.

How To Clean Particularly Stubborn Spots

Once you've cleaned the whole wall, take a step back and assess. Are there trouble areas or stains that need extra attention? If so, address them with one of the following methods.

What You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Warm water
• Clean cloth
  

Method 1

1. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda together with 1/4 cup of water until a tacky paste is formed.
2. Dipping the corner of a clean cloth in the paste, buff out any stubborn stains. Make sure to be gentle, as this is a more abrasive method than dish soap.
3. Take good care not to remove your paint along with the stain. If the stain still persists, try this method again, but apply the paste directly to the wall and let it soak for a few minutes before removing.

Method 2

1. Using a clean cloth, soak a corner in hydrogen peroxide.
2. Make sure the cloth is soaked in a large enough area to cover the stain on the wall, then press and hold for a few minutes.
3. Hydrogen peroxide should lift the stain out and allow you to swipe over it with a clean cloth before finishing up.